Top



y I Feb. 5, 1946. e. s. NALLE-I, JR 2,394,093

TOP

F'iledFeb. 10, 1944 mvtzvron. (fear a J. JV'alle, f1." BY

arrow/v5) K Patented Feb. 5, 1946 UNITED; STATE Application February This inventionrelates to'tops such as toy tops, but can also be applied to tops used for educational purposes, more specifically for teaching colors One object of the invention is to provide a top containing a fluid that changes the color of, at least, a portion of the top when the top spins. Another object is to provide a top containing liquids of difierent color and difierent density with a transparent portion through which the liquids are visible from outside the top. In one embodiment of the invention the liquids mix when the top spins so that two colors visible in different zones when the top is at rest are mixed to form a thirdcolor when the top spins.

In another embodiment of the invention the liquids of difierent density cause changes in color at different zones of the top by the action of centrifugal force. 7

While the primary object of the invention is to provide a top for purposes of amusement, the same principle can be used in more elaborate modifications for teaching the blending of colors, such as in physics classes. a

One feature of the invention relates to means for causing the liquid to rotate when spinning motion is initially given to the top. Without this it is not practical to enclose any substantial mass of liquid .within the top because a mass of liquid that is not rotating with the body Claims.

. TOP

George S. Nalle, Jr., Austin, Tex.

10, 1944; Serial N0. 521,759

parent body including a lower portion Hand an upper portion l2 connected together. by a lap joint 13. 'The joint is preferably made with transparent cement and may be threaded if: de-

sired. l

Viith'in the top body there is a chamber' IS enclosing two liquids I6 and I1. These liquids are *of different color and are immiscible in one of the top quickly robs the top of its spinning inertia.

Other objects, features and advantages invention will appear or be pointed out as the specification proceeds.

In the drawing, forming a part hereof, in which like reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all views,

Fig. 1 is a sectional view through a top embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the top shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with the liquid and upper portion of the top removed; I

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, similar to Fig. but showing a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view. taken on the line.

5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view through a second modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 7 is an elevation, on a reduced scale,

of the another. Liquid I6 is of greater density-than the liquid l1 and therefore settles to the bottom of the chamber. The term-immiscible asused in this description and in the claims is not to be understood in a strictly chemical sense, since i'ew liquids are completely-immiscible in one anothenw The term is used herein in .a broader sense to-indicate that there are separate masses of the two liquids present in the top.

The chamber 15 may be completely filled with. liquid if the top is constructed so that the'upper' portion or sides can yield sufficiently to provide for-expansionof theliquid when warm, but the provision of a small air space in the upperen'd of the chamber [5 has the advantage of re.- ducing the stress on .the joint l3 when the liquid in the. top expands with increase in temperature. Thema'ss of the liquid in .the chamber I5 is quite substantial as compared with the mass of, the body of the top, and it is therefore important to impartgrotation to the liquid at the same time that'rotary motion is imparted to the top- Otherwise the top will spin vfor only a very short. time,the non-rotating liquid within the chamber-acting as a brake. Vanes 20 extending ,from a central. hub 21 are provided to give rotary movement to the liquid in-the chamber I5 when the'spinninginertia is first imparted to the top. These vanes 29 and the hub 2| may be cast as an integral part of the lower portion ll of the top body, or other-v a material as the lower portion l I, but most trans parent materials do ,not make suitable pointsfor Figure 1 shows a top having an entirely transwise secured to the body of the top.v In Figures 1 to 3 the vanes 20 are shown extending almost to the top of the chamber l5 and almost to the side walls of the chamber. A wide latitude of proportions is satisfactory, however, both in the radial and vertical extent of the vanes 20, and in the number of vanes employed. Choicesare influenced largely by theprocess to be used in the manufacture of the top, and by considerations. of

appearance.

- The point of the top can be made of the same a top. to spin on, and the construction shown in Figures 1' to 3 has a metal point-23 molded into Qro herwise secured to the lowerend orthe 1:09

This invention may be used with various types of tops, such as flattened disc-type tops which spin on a fixed center, or conical shaped tops such as illustrated in the drawing. Tops of the type illustrated are spun with a. string or spiral pushrod and the preferred embodiments of the invention are provided with a shoulder 24 at the upper end for holding one end of the string, and another shoulder'25 a short distance up from the point for preventing, the wrappedvstringirom slipping off. the lower end of the top Figure 4' shows a modified form of the invention in which the upper portion of thetop body is merely a cover. This construction also difiers from that of Figures 1 to 3 in that vanes 26 are lower portion of the top. For some methods of" manufacture the construction showmin: Figure? is preferable. The lower portion 28 of the top shown in Figure 4 is considerably simplerto mold or-castibecause itidoesnot-haveanyshoulder corresponding-.tdt-heshoulder 25 of: Figure 1. The string is.- prevented' from slipping oil" the top of; Figure 4' by a: washer 29 extending, some-,dista-ncebeyond the conical surface of the top bodyjand heldzinplace by a: point 3u'which1is secured 'in the lower endofi the top;

Figure 6 sh'ows armodification: of the invention in which two liquids3l and 32 are enclosed: in a chamber'33 which-has-its'maximum diameter at a region intermediate the upp'er and lower ends on the top body; In this form 015 thainventio'n the liquids 31521101232 rare: thrownout against the sides of the'chamber; 33ibycentrifugal forcet'o assume the locations indicated bydottedilines.v There being: comparatively littlei liquid: in the chamber 33 comparedto 'the'size and= massof'the -top;it is not es'sential to employrvanes' for impartingirot'ationt to'the liquid: Thema'ss of the top is suin cient so that somes'of the" inertia of the: spinning topfcanbe imparted torthe: liquid-without causing: the: top to stop: and without unduly" shortening the periodthat'thetop will spim. 1

Where: vanes are employed: in: the: top; experi enoef-shows that the-rli'qui'dszarex thoroughly" mixed: as the top-spins; and the two:-- difierent colors' 'of the. liquids are: blended: into aathirdwolor; The liquids withim then-topv arein efiect';. lieaten into an" emulsion bythe rotating vanes.. When there are: no: varies, as: inrFi'gure: wand: therexisr sufii ci'entz' difference: inithe: density or the liquids: 3= l andi3'2, theystratify"and formindependent' zones of color which creep back towardthe bottom or the top" as the' speedfi of rotation: decreases;

Any transparent material' of suitable strength may be used: forthisinventiom 1 It i's not ne'c'es 7 connected with the cover 21 instead of with the 7 up by its handle 38 without interfering with the motion of the top and then pushed down again to increase the speed of rotation, in a manner well understood in the art.

The top 36 has a transparent hollow body for holding fluid and a sleeve 39 extending axially through the fluid chamber of the body for'hous -..ing the plunger 31.

liwithin the chamber, said liquids being of difierent. color and difierent density and immiscible with one another so that they formzones comprisingZannulan-fings of difierent color when the sa-ry that'th'e body: of the top be constructed of the same materialthroughoutg -orthat all portions at the top. be transparent. The term trans invention in which motion is impart'edf t e the transpareniit'op afi by plungefl'l thathas a spiral W connected tb the body of the topdn such a -wayi astb impartirotatibn'to thetopwllen thpiiingen isms: pusneaiaewn; mn easr 'ca'n' Be pulleid 7 the chamberispf larger diameter thanlat other.

regions above and belowsaid zone;

3i A-spinningtop withra' transparent wall that encloses a chamber; said: chamberextending? around theaxis of rotationf the-to'p and being;

: of" increasing diameten from its lowen-en'duni-r V ward to a region of maximum diameter, a liquid within thgchainberandof. substantially less .volumethan the volume ofisaid chamber, and means for'imparting rotation'to: both thetopand' the:

liquid, said means comprising; anaxially-extend r ing sleeve that. passesthrough: thechamberjand opens through the: upper end: of thetop; a threaded: plunger that extends through. theopen* upperend a-n'd'into the sleeve azhandleat the top of the plunger for moving: theplun'gerfiup. and. down; andratchet means i'n the-body oi thetop and: through-"which: the plunger passes for im--= parting-rotary movement tm-thflmD upon move-1 ment of the'plunger inione directioni 4 A hollow top comprising a: transparent-body that encloses aa chamber-3;.- arstem' extending "upward from: thebody along: the axis of: rotation; of: the top for imparting rotary movement to sthei body, a liquid: enclosed.- Within the: chamber; a second: liquid ofi difie'rentcolor and difi'erent; density from the first liquid-and alsokenclosedc. within said chamber with: the: firstliquid'; said liquids beingf'immisciblein: one anothenan'drlfiasling a combined volume that'is less-than the: V01?" umeofthech'amber; theiinsidewalkoii:saidichamher being substantially symmetrical'aboutlthe axis of! rotation. of. the: top* and diverging ,from both its upper and lower endsitoiirard ani-interme-v diatezone at whichithe chamber is: of largendlameter: than? at. other regions above: and below" said zone. a

5. Azhollow'top' comprising;aitransparent body that encloses a chamber; an: axially extendingf. sleeve'that passes through the'chamber-and opens through the upper end of the top, a threaded stemi that extends: upwardvfrom: the body along: the axis of rotation: of: the: top:- for impartingzrotaryy movement tmthe body, a handle at thatop ofnthe steni for" moving thestenrf up and; down tand ratchet meanszirritheibody of the tcp'and through which the threaded stem passes for imparting rotary movement to the top upon downward movement of the stem, a liquid enclosed within the chamber, a second liquid of different color and different density from the first liquid and also enclosed within said chamber, said liquids being immiscible in one another and havinga combined volume that is less than the volume of the chamher, the inside wall of said chamber being substantially symmetrical about the axis of rotation of the top and diverging from both its upper and lower ends toward an intermediate zone at which the chamber is of larger diameter than at other regions above and below said zone.

GEORGE S. NALLE, JR. 

